Hydraulic-valve-operating mechanism



Dec. 30, 1930. w. NOBLE I HYDRAULIC VALVE OPERATING MECHANISM Filed June 12, 19 28 Patented Dec. 30, 1930 UNITED STATES WARREN norm, or nn'rnori', firemen:

i HYDRAULIC-VALVE-OPERATIHG MECHANISM Application filed June 12,

This invention relates primarily to hydraulic valve operating mechanisms, although, as it will further appear, it lends itself to the auxiliary lubrication of engine parts.

6 In hydraulic valve systems, dependent for their operation on enclosed oil columns acting as the medium for the transmission of motion from-actuating to actuated parts, it is generally required that means be provided for maintaining such oil columns complete or for replenishing oil in said columns; and especially it is required, where means other than hydraulic are provided for alternative valve operation, that suflicient oil be maintained in the columns to ensure valve actuation in the starting of the engine.

Usually it has been heretofore suggested to provide a suitable pump operated by the engine for maintaining the oil columns complete and totake care of any replenishing which may be required, but as a general rulesuch pump requires the operation of the engine at a comparatively high speed before it is materially effective; and it is an object of this invention to provide an auxiliary pump operable at slow engine speed which may be effective to adequately supply oil to the .oil

columns when the engine is being cranked for starting. Thus in the case of a dry engine in prior to starting, the cranking of the engine for its initial starting will be effective to supply the required oil to the oil columns to render them operative for the valve operation necessary to the startin of the engine.

'It is also an object o the invention to utilize such an auxiliary pump operative at cranking speeds of the engine as a means of supplying lubricant to any parts of'gthe en gine where such supply may be desirable.

A more complete understanding will be had with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein one embodiment of the invention is illustrated by and in which Figure 1 diagrammatically shows a. hydraulic valve system and an engine starting means with my priming device attached.

Figure 2 shows a section taken on the line 2"-2" of Figure 1.

which the oil columns have not been filled way of example 1928. Serial No. 284,774.

Referring more particularly to the drawmgs:

Numeral 1 refers to a'cylindrical casing having an open-lower end 2 and a reduced upper nd 3 open at 4 to receive a pipe line 5. Line 5 leads to a further'casing 6, the interior of which forms a chamber and receives the stem 7 of a poppet valve. At the highest point of easing 6, which is also the highest portion of'the entire hydraulic system and hence the region of air accumulation, I provide an air relief valve 8 herein shown as being a pet-cock which, when open, willbleed any air which may accumulate in the system during operation, or which may be opened prior to starting the engine, as will be more fully explained hereinafter.

A plunger 9 carrying a roller 10 is inserted in the open end 2 of casing 1 and extends-upwardly therein. Roller 10 makes contact with a cam 11, so that the plunger 9 may be actuatedthereby. As roller 10 rides the base circle of cam 11, plunger 9 extends into casing 1 a distance preferably greater than half the length of said casing, but substantially below the reduced end portion 3. Substantially in the plane of the top of plunger 9 as it rests in normal posit-ion is a plurality of fluid inlet passages 12 and 13, having nonreturn check valves 14 and 15 therein, the balls of which abuttingly engage the ends of suppl pipes 16 and 17, each of which leads to a gear pump. Pipe 16 is employed to replenish any leakage which occurs during engine operation and is fed by gear pump 20 from a source of supply 21 thru pipe line 22. Pump 20 may, of course, perform other duties including lubrication of other parts of the engine.

In operation, plunger 9 receives impulses from cam 11 and in its upwar travel displaces fluidin chamber 3 and line 5 thereby actuating valve stem 7, which unseats the poppet valve. Pet-cock 8 may be opened at intervals to permit bleeding. In case of a sticking of valve 7 in open position a pres sure relief port 23 prevents valve 7 from being driven into the engine cylinder. This valve gear, whose operation I have described, may be any hydraulic valve gear having an air relief valve and is given only as an illustration for purposes of demonstrating the manner in which the following mechanism is used therewith:

Pipe line 17 leads to a gear pump 24, 25 which has leading thereto a pipe line 26, which supplies fluid from the engine oil sump or from any suitable reservoir 21. Gear 24 of the gear pump is'supported by a pin which may be journaled in thesides of the pump housing, while gear 25 is supported by the engine starting means 27, which is here illustrated as being a hand crank but which might be, with such slight changes as might'be made by any skilled mechanic, an electric or other starting device. The gear 25 is keyed to the shaft of the crank 27 at 28. Thus the crank may rotate gears 24 and 25 when in the position shown in Figure 1, or it may mesh with a pin 29 to crank the engine, freeing itself from engagement with the gear 25 or, if desired, the key 28 may be of sufiicient length to provide a sliding constant engagement so that rotation of the engine crankshaft will likewise rotate the gear pump 24, 25. A pipe 17 may also be provided for replenishing the engine lubricating system from the auxiliary pump.

Operation is as follows:

When itis desired to start a dry, or partially dry engine, relief valve 8 is opened, or if the relief valve is of the automatic type, of course, no adjustment is necessary. The crank or starting means 27 is then rotated until oil flows thru the 'relief valve whereupon the relief valve is closed. The starting means may then be slid forward into operating osition for rotation of the engine crankshal whereupon the engine is ready for starting. a

My invention is capable of being greatly modified inform and of being applied Widely to various types of engines using hydraulic valve gears, and I therefore desire to be limited in its application only by the scope of the appended claims wherein:

I claim:

1. In combination, an engine, a hydraulic valve system in said engine, a fluid reservoir,

a pipe line from said reservoir to said system having a non-return valve therein, and means for unseating said valve to admit fluid from said reservoir to said system prior to the starting of said engine.

2. In an engine having a hydraulic valve operating mechanism, a fluid reservoir hav-. ing a pipe line to said mechanism, and valvular means in said pipe line for admitting a flow of fluid from said reservoir to said mechanism prior to operation of said engine, and means for replenishing said system during periods of engine operation.

v 3. In combination, an engine, a hydraulic valve system for said engine, a fluid reservoir having a pipe line to said system, a valve in said line, pump means for setting up a pressure on the fluid in said line to unseat said valve and to force fluid into said system prior to engine operation, and means forreleasing air from said system during the period of charging.

'4. In combination, a hydraulic valve system, a pump for forcing fluid into said system prior to operation thereof, and means for releasing air from the highest point of said system during periods of charging.

5. In combination, a hydraulic system, auxiliary pumping means for charging said system with liquid prior to engine operation, means for replenishing said system during engine operation, and means for bleeding air from said system at will.

6. In combination, a hydraulic valvesystem, an engine operated pump for replenishing said system, a manually operated pump for initially charging said system and means for bleeding'air from said system at will.

7. In an engine, a hydraulic valve system. an engine starting means, and pumping means operated by said engine starting means for charging said system.

8. The combination as set forth in claim 7 wherein said system is charged prior to the starting of said engine.

.9. In combination in an engine a hydrauli valve system, an engine starting means, a pump operated by said engine starting means for filling said system with liquid prior to engine operation and means for bleeding air from said system while filling. U

10. In an internal combustion engine, an auxiliary gear pump, and a crank having a groove therein, one of the gears of said pump being mounted on said crank and having a lug in the center thereof for engagement of said crank groove, whereby the crank may operate the gear pump independently of engagement of the engine for starting purposes.

11. A hydraulic valve actuating mechanism, a main supply line from a fluid reservoir thereto, an auxiliary supply line also leading from said reservoir to said mechanism and a non-return check valve in each of said lines.

12. In a hydraulic valve system, a plurality of fluid inlet passages to said system, one of said passages normally conducting fluid to said system for replenishment thereof, the other of said passages being normally inoperative, and a manually operable pump associated with said last named passage for supplying fluid to said system at will.

13. In combination in an internal combustion engine, a hydraulic valve system, an engine operated lubricating pump functioning to replenish said hydraulic valve system, and an auxiliary pump for charging said system and for supplying lubricant to the lubricatmg system of said engine prior to starting said engine.

14. In combination, in an internal combustion engine, a hydraulic valve system, an engine operated lubricating ump functioning to replenish said hydraulic valve System, and an auxiliary pump operative under the direct influence of the engine starting means for chargingsaid system and for supplying the'engine, lubricating system prior to starting said engine. v 15. In combination in an internal combustion engine, a hydraulic, valve system, an engine operated lubricating pump functioning to replenish said hydraulic valve system, and an auxiliary pump operative under. the direct influenceof the engine starting means when saidmeans are either in free or engine rotating engagement for charging said system and for charging the engine l'uhricating system prior to starting said engine.

In testimony-whereof I afiix my si atnre. 

